Panel of media space buying service providers for pseta (until 31 march 2028)

Closing date: 09 October 2026 at 11:00.

No compulsory briefing or site visit is mentioned in the document.

SCM enquiries:

• Contact: Lungile Mokoena
• Role: SCM Specialist (Acting)
• Telephone: 012 423 5700 / 012 423 5800
• Email: [email protected]

Technical enquiries:

• Contact: Not specified in the document.

Submission address:

SCM Specialist (Acting): Supply Chain Management

The PSETA

Ground Floor, Woodpecker Building

177 Dyer Road

Hillcrest Office Park

Pretoria

Service delivery: National, provincial, local and community media platforms across South Africa as commissioned by PSETA.

Submission method: Physical delivery to the address below.

Closing: 09 October 2026 at 11:00. Late bids will not be accepted.

Bids must be submitted on the official forms provided (not re-typed).

Returnable forms (all must be completed, signed and submitted):

• SBD 4 (Declaration of Interest): discloses whether any director or shareholder is employed by the state or connected to anyone at PSETA.
• SBD 6.1 (Preference Points Claim): claims points for specific goals under the 80/20 system.
• SBD 7 (Contract Form): the successful bidder must complete and sign.
• Proof of authority to sign (e.g., company resolution).

Mandatory supporting documents:

• Proof of registration on the Central Supplier Database (CSD) or CSD number.
• SARS Tax Compliance Status PIN or printed TCS certificate (each party in a consortium/JV/sub-contractor must submit separately).
• B-BBEE status level verification certificate (SANAS accredited) or sworn affidavit for EMEs (≤R10m) and QSEs (≤R50m).
• Company profile addressing the required services.
• Technical proposal and methodology responding to the full Scope of Work.
• Team structure, CVs and qualifications of proposed key personnel.
• Schedule of comparable assignments with supporting reference letters (on client letterhead, signed, dated, with contactable referee).
• Evidence supporting rate-negotiation/value-optimisation capability.
• Completed pricing schedule in the format prescribed by PSETA.

Disqualification risks:

• Submission after closing time.
• Any mandatory form omitted or unsigned.
• Non-compliance with tax obligations.
• Bidder or its directors/members are persons in the service of the state.

Two-stage evaluation:

1. Functionality (minimum qualifying score: 70/100). Only bidders meeting the threshold proceed.

Functionality criteria (weights from the evaluation framework):

• Company experience in comparable media buying assignments (reference letters required).
• Qualifications and experience of key personnel (senior Account/Media Lead, Media Planner/Buyer, Digital Media Specialist where digital proposed).
• Methodology/technical approach responding to the Scope of Work.
• Demonstrated rate-negotiation and value-optimisation capability.

Evidence for functionality must be submitted with the bid; no late supplementation.

2. Preferential procurement (80/20 system):

• Price: 80 points (lowest acceptable tender used as baseline).
• Specific goals: 20 points allocated as follows:

• Black owned companies (51–100% black ownership): 8 points.

• Women owned (51–100% women ownership): 4 points.

• Youth owned (51–100% youth ownership): 5 points.

• Disability owned (51–100% disability ownership): 3 points.

Bidders must submit proof for each specific goal claimed; failure to submit proof means points are not claimed.

The organ of state may require substantiation of any claim at any time.

Procurement: Panel of media space buying service providers for 18 months (date of appointment until 31 March 2028).

Scope – as-and-when-required media planning and buying across:

• Print: national, provincial, local, community newspapers, magazines, supplements, specialist publications (recruitment, tender, statutory, programme, campaign advertising, advertorials, special positions).
• Audio: commercial, public, community, digital audio inventory (radio spots, interviews, sponsored segments, host-read content, podcasts, audio streaming).
• Digital and paid social: approved websites, publisher platforms, search, video, programmatic, social media platforms (audience targeting, geographic targeting, budget allocation, optimisation; does not include organic community management unless specifically commissioned).
• Out-of-home and other: outdoor, transit, digital out-of-home, cinema, or other approved inventory.

Core deliverables and minimum evidence:

• Media plan/recommendation: audience-led channel recommendation, schedule, quotation, budget, rationale → approved media plan.
• Rate negotiation: benchmark/card rate vs negotiated rate and added value → rate comparison/media-owner quotation.
• Booking and placement: accurate booking against approved specification → booking confirmation/insertion order.
• Proof of placement: verification placement ran as approved → tear sheet, log, screenshot, certificate or equivalent.
• Campaign monitoring: monitoring against booked delivery → status report and exception/escalation record.
• Post-campaign report: performance, spend, delivery, value added, lessons → campaign close-out report.
• Financial reconciliation: transparent reconciliation of third-party costs and fees → invoice pack and reconciliation statement.

Service levels:

• Dedicated account/project lead and clear escalation contact.
• Acknowledge request within 4 working hours; submit standard quotations/media options within 1 working day.
• 100% placement accuracy against approved booking specifications (subject to media-owner performance) with immediate corrective action for exceptions.
• Proof of placement and reconciliation within 5 working days after completion of a standard placement (unless different cycle agreed).
• Monthly or campaign-based consolidated reports where multiple placements are active.
• Attend performance review meetings when requested; implement corrective actions from service-level failures.

Team requirements:

• Senior Account/Media Lead and Media Planner/Buyer (minimum).
• Digital Media Specialist where digital media is proposed.
• CVs must clearly indicate qualifications, role, relevant experience and comparable assignments.

Governance:

• Obtain written PSETA approval before committing expenditure.
• No substitution of media owner, platform, date, size, duration or placement without prior written approval.
• Maintain auditable record of quotations, approvals, bookings, proofs, invoices and campaign reports.
• All PSETA briefs, campaign information, reports, data, artwork, placement records and project documentation are confidential; PSETA retains ownership of commissioned reports and outputs.

Pricing format: Transparent, all-inclusive of the bidder's professional/service fees and applicable VAT; third-party media costs must be separately identifiable.

For each placement: disclose media-owner cost, discounts/rebates (where applicable), and agency/service fee separately.

Payment terms (per General Conditions of Contract):

• Payment within 30 days after submission of invoice and delivery note.
• Payment in Rand unless otherwise stipulated in Special Conditions of Contract.

Performance security (per GCC clause 7):

• Successful bidder must furnish performance security within 30 days of contract award notification.
• Amount to be specified in the Special Conditions of Contract (not stated in the ToR).
• Acceptable forms: bank guarantee/irrevocable letter of credit from a reputable bank, or cashier's/certified cheque.
• Security discharged within 30 days after completion of all performance obligations including warranty.

No bid security, retention, or financial capacity turnover thresholds are explicitly stated in the document.

Mandatory compliance:

• Central Supplier Database (CSD) registration: proof of registration or CSD number required.
• Tax compliance: SARS Tax Compliance Status PIN or printed TCS certificate (each consortium/JV/sub-contractor party must submit separately).
• B-BBEE: Valid B-BBEE status level verification certificate (SANAS accredited) or sworn affidavit for EMEs (annual revenue ≤R10 million) and QSEs (annual revenue ≤R50 million) to claim preference points.
• No CIDB grading required (services, not construction).
• Company registration (CIPC) implied via company registration number on forms.
• No professional body registration specified.
• Local content requirements: not mentioned.
• Specific goals for preference points (51–100% ownership): Black owned (8 pts), Women owned (4 pts), Youth owned (5 pts), Disability owned (3 pts).
• Eligibility exclusion: No bids from persons in the service of the state, companies with directors in the service of the state, or close corporations with members in the service of the state.
• Proof of authority to sign (company resolution) required.

Functionality evaluation (minimum 70/100 to proceed):

• Company experience: comparable media buying assignments with reference letters (client letterhead, signed, dated, contactable referee).
• Key personnel: qualifications and experience of proposed team (senior Account/Media Lead, Media Planner/Buyer, Digital Media Specialist where digital proposed).
• Methodology/technical approach: response to full Scope of Work.
• Rate negotiation capability: evidence of benchmarking, discount optimisation, value-added negotiation.

Weights for each criterion are defined in the bid pack's evaluation framework (not fully extracted).

Preferential procurement: 80/20 system with specific goals as detailed in the evaluationCriteria section.